Possessive Pronouns

Introduction

What are possessive pronouns? How are they used in English? What is the difference between possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives? This article will answer these questions providing detailed explanations with examples.

What are Possessive Pronouns?

A dictionary definition of possessive pronouns goes like this:

A possessive pronoun is a pronoun such as ‘mine’, ‘yours’, or ‘theirs’ which is used to refer to the thing of a particular kind that belongs to someone.

Collins Dictionary

Here is our definition: We consider a possessive pronoun to be a part of speech that attributes ownership to someone or something. Like any other pronoun, it substitutes a noun phrase and can prevent its repetition.

For example, in the phrase:

• These glasses are mine, not yours.

The words “mine” and “yours” are possessive pronouns and stand for “my glasses” and “your glasses,” respectively.

Let’s give another example to make it clearer:

• My house is bigger than Jane’s house.

To replace Jane’s house, we can use the possessive pronoun “hers.”

• My house is bigger than hers.

Here is the comprehensive list of possessive pronouns alongside the corresponding subject pronouns and possessive adjectives for your reference:

Subject Pronouns		I	you	he	she	it	we	you	they
Possessive	Adjectives	my	your	his	her	its	our	your	their
	Pronouns	mine	yours	his	hers	its *	ours	yours	theirs

The words “mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs” are possessive pronouns. They show who or what something belongs to.

Things to Take Into Consideration

Here are crucial points to be cautious about, as they may cause confusion and lead to mistakes:

Possessive Pronouns vs. Possessive Adjectives

Distinguishing between possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives is essential for precise language use. While both serve the purpose of indicating possession, they do so in distinct ways.

A possessive pronoun stands independently to indicate ownership, replacing a noun to signify that something belongs to a specific person or group.

For example:

• Is this umbrella yours? (“Yours” is a possessive pronoun acting as a subject complement.)

On the other hand, a possessive adjective modifies a noun, offering more information about the noun by highlighting to whom it belongs.

For example:

• Is this your umbrella? (“Your” is a possessive adjective modifying the noun umbrella.)

Here are more examples:

• What color is your brother’s jacket?
  • His jacket is black. ( “Your” and “his” are possessive adjectives; they modify the noun “jacket” in both examples.)
• What color is yours?
  • Mine is blue. (“Yours” and “mine” are possessive pronouns – “Yours” functions as a subject complement in the first example; “mine” functions as a subject in the second example.)

Its Vs. Its

The distinction between “its” and “it’s” is often a source of confusion. It’s important to note that “it’s” is not a possessive pronoun or adjective; instead, it is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.”

Examples:

• “It’s not my book” = “It is not my book.”
• “It’s got five bedrooms” = “It has got five bedrooms.”

In contrast, “its” is a possessive form, indicating ownership or possession by the pronoun “it.” It is used to show that something belongs to or is associated with a non-human entity.

Example:

• The dog wagged its tail.

Example Sentences

1. These are not your keys; I believe those over there are yours.
2. The children built a sandcastle, and now they are arguing about which tower is theirs.
3. Is this notebook yours or mine?
4. The cat licked its paws after a hearty meal.
5. John has his own laptop, and I have mine.
6. The students were proud of their artwork displayed in the hallway.
7. Whose backpack is this? Oh, it’s hers.
8. Our team won the championship, and the trophy is now proudly displayed as ours.
9. The dog wagged its tail when the owner returned home.
10. These cookies are theirs; those on the counter are ours.
11. Each employee has his or her own workspace.
12. I don’t have my umbrella; is it possible to borrow yours?
13. The garden is beautiful; each flowerbed has its own unique charm.

Review of Personal Pronouns

Subject Pronouns	Possessive Adjectives	Possessive Pronouns	Reflexive Pronouns	Object Pronouns
I	my	mine	myself	me
you	your	yours	yourself	you
he	his	his	himself	him
she	her	hers	herself	her
it	its	its	itself	it
we	our	ours	ourselves	us
you	your	yours	yourselves	you
they	their	theirs	themselves	them

Conclusion

To sum up, possessive pronouns serve as substitutes for nouns, indicating ownership without the need for a specific noun.

It is crucial to make a clear distinction between possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives. Possessive pronouns stand independently to signify ownership, replacing a noun entirely, whereas possessive adjectives modify a noun, providing additional information about the ownership.

Understanding these nuances is essential for precise communication and grammatical accuracy.

You may also be interested in:

• Object pronouns
• Possessive adjectives
• Subject pronouns
• Reflexive pronouns

Related Pages:

• Exercise on possessive pronouns